'Rocky' saga may be coming to an end; DEC tells snakehead owner it will seize fish

Submitted photoRocky is a 10-year-old, 28-inch long Snakehead fish owned by Chris Deverso who lives in Clay.

The saga of Rocky the snakehead fish finally may be coming to an end.

Fish owner Chris Deverso of Clay said it was reaffirmed by a Department of Environmental Conservation official this week that the 10-year-old, 28-inch long-fish would be seized and destroyed.

It was the first time Deverso had spoken to the DEC since it was supposed to take the fish Feb. 26, but that plan was aborted to avoid media coverage and interference from protestors, according to a DEC official. Lt. Don Pleakis told Deverso the DEC has no choice but to seize the snakehead fish, which has been illegal to own in New York state since 2004.

"He's tried to find a home for the snakehead. He's exhausted all his possibilities, that I know of,'' Pleakis said. "I've exhausted everything that I know of. This has gone all the way to legislators, to senators, to the highest it can get in the DEC. It still stands, we can't change the law and give him a permit for the fish.''

Deverso, who purchased the fish legally from a pet store in 1999, has unsuccessfully tried to find Rocky a home since he pleaded guilty in January to possessing the banned fish.

"They're coming to get the fish but on their terms," said Deverso, who intiated the contact with the DEC. "They wouldn't say when or how they're going to take the fish, I'm guessing because they don't want people there."

Pleakis said there is no timetable to seize the fish. "That's still being talked about and debated,'' he said.

DEC Region 7 Director Ken Lynch previously said the department was concerned about the potential big-picture impacts of invasive species. Snakeheads are voracious, known for eating all the fish in a lake or pond and even eating their young.

A permit cannot be issued, nor can Deverso's fish be grandfathered in since he owned it legally before the ban, Lynch said.

Deverso has tried for three months to convince the state that his fish is not a threat. He says that unlike a northern snakehead species, his type of snakehead -- a giant snakehead -- couldn't survive in our cold climate. But state law does not distinguish among the 29 different species of snakeheads.

Deverso said he's not giving up the fight. He spent Tuesday contacting lawyers in attempt to save his fish.

"There are lawyers who say they can get my ticket reversed and try to get me a permit," Deverso said, "but at what financial cost? It could cost me $5,000. That's what I'm concentrating on now."